THANK-YOU!

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Home : 2005 : January : 11

THANK-YOU!
By Another 1st Year Teacher

All of you brought up many good points-some I was aware of...and some you just brought to my attention. Yes, I need to be more CONSISTENT...and yes I do point out positive behavior as well, like I would say, "I see that 'X'
is ready" (I do add in a thank-you also-thank YOU Bonnie for letting me know that you do that, I realize that adding small things like that make a difference. Or, "Row 3 is ready". I JUST re-arranged their seats so that they are now arranged in tables instead of rows...class resumes tomorrow and I hope it will work okay (in regards to them being talkative). I've been wanting to change

their seats so that they sit this way for when they do group work. (Until now, they'd have to all stand and work since I had them in rows (grouped by 4).

This whole system of writing their names on the board, I took fr the teacher I interned with...what I took out (and this will answer your question about rewards)....is that the teacher I worked with, aside from writing their names on the board-for when they are misbehaving, she would write points on the board, for when the whole class was being good....when it got to 100 points, the class would get a small reward.

"I" feel...I don't want them to work towards a 'physical thing'. I mean, yes, I remember when I was in elementary school, (we all) enjoyed getting something from the 'treasure box'. But what are we teaching (or saying?) to our kids by rewarding them. Please don't take me the wrong way..every teacher has their own 'style' to teaching. And this is just something I strongly believe in. But, I do like the idea of writing a list of things that the class did good (Thanks bonnie)...so I do see that positive reinforcement does work. However, at the same time, as was pointed out, I am new, and everyday I am learning and reflecting on how I am in the classroom, because it doesn't seem to be working-I'm thinking of how exactly I can reward them-Thank-you for the suggestion of conducting a survey of what they like).

I've learned (even when I interned 1st gr) and with my class now, that they LOVE hearing when they are doing the right thing, the room seems to turn quiet quickly...

"Once New Like You" you gave me really good advice! And you made me realize that it probably does have to do a lot with my routines and procedures. I do have D.E.A.R. time (Drop everything and read) for a few minutes when they come back from recess and lunch (when they're the most wound up). Thank-you for sharing with me the best advice YOU were given-I feel I think more about doing that with my kids then actually DOING that...PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GOOD. Maybe I don't tell them enough. Also, you said, "..your job is not to control their behavior, but to manage it"...

I do keep a journal also-but admit I haven't written in it for a while...I'm sure your advice on that will also help as well.

Again, I thank all of you for teaching me and sharing with me how you manage your class!